Comptroller Honors Harford County Students

Jasanveer Aulakh, a fourth grader at Emmorton Elementary School, smiles as he shows Comptroller Peter Franchot the mixed-media composition he created using collage techniques in the style of Charley Harper.

Press release from the Comptroller of Maryland

Annapolis, Md. (March 31, 2014) – Comptroller Peter Franchot presented his Maryland Masters Awards to three Harford County students at a ceremony today in Bel Air. The students honored included Jasanveer Aulakh, Alexus Walz and Kenzie Targarona.

Jasanveer Aulakh, a fourth grader at Emmorton Elementary School, created a mixed-media composition using collage techniques in the style of Charley Harper; Alexus Walz, who was unable to attend the event, produced a mixed-media composition of a tree while she was an eighth grader at Aberdeen Middle School; and Kenzie Targarona, a senior at C. Milton Wright High School, drew an expressive self-portrait in white charcoal.

“During my more than 27 years in public life, I have been an unwavering advocate for high quality education for Maryland’s youth and a strong proponent of arts and culture,” said Comptroller Franchot. “This award honors their outstanding artwork, which exemplifies the creativity, passion, and determination of these students and future leaders.”

The Maryland Master Award recognizes young, talented artists who have displayed extraordinary artistic skills, reflecting the vision of Maryland’s future. The Comptroller initiated the awards program to celebrate the achievements and talents of students from throughout the state enrolled in public schools from Kindergarten to 12th grade. The students’ art will be on exhibit for two months at the Comptroller’s Office in Annapolis.

The students’ art will join a collection of original paintings by one of the Comptroller’s favorite artists, Herman Maril. An American modernist, Maril was born in Baltimore and served as a professor at the University of Maryland for more than 30 years.

Kenzie Targarona, a senior at C. Milton Wright High School, explains to Comptroller Peter Franchot the techniques she used in creating her charcoal self-portrait.